Page 19 of Cry of Blood and Joy
Fucking traitor.But I should have known. Keir turned on a dime if it suited his own purposes. But then, we all did. That was the name of the game in my world.
“And you should know, Enzo—he’s extremely dangerous right now. ‘Paint the town red with entrails’ dangerous. And guess who’s his favorite target?”
“I didn’t mean to hurt Serenity.” Joy lowered her head. “She’s like a sister to me.”
“Oh, honey, I get that. I do.” Dimitri’s tone was surprisingly gentle, though his smile remained razor-sharp. “But here’s the fun part—intent doesn’t really matter when someone you love is lying unconscious with no signs of waking up. If I were you, I’d start praying to whatever deity takes requests from shadow-wielding supernatural disasters.” He tilted his head, studying Joy with predatory interest. “Because that little Nephilim is the only thing standing between you and Angelo’s very creative interpretation of justice. And between you and me? Even she might not be able to stop his bloodlust once it really gets going.”
Fuck.Angelo was unstoppable when he had the taste of revenge. He wasn’t satisfied until he left a bloodbath.
Steve stepped forward and put his arm around Joy’s shoulders, pulling her protectively against his side. His jaw tightened and he carefully positioned himself between her and Dimitri—like he was ready to shield her from whatever came next. Joy leaned into him gratefully, her shadows finally beginning to settle as his steady presence anchored her.
But it wasn’t his job to protect her, it was mine.
“How long will you give us?” Steve glanced nervously at the door as if he was expecting more company.
Dimitri pulled out his phone with theatrical slowness, the sleek device catching the dim light as he turned it over in his hands like he was examining a particularly interesting work of art. A lazy smile played at the corners of his mouth as his dark eyes flicked between the screen and our faces.
“You’ve got five minutes.” He held up his palm then tilted his head, studying us like we were mildly entertaining lab rats. “And before you get all teary-eyed and grateful, don’t. I’m not doing this out of the goodness of my heart—mostly because I don’t have one.” He paused, relishing the moment. “I’m doing this because Gianna would be very disappointed in me, and disappointed women are terrifying. Trust me on this.”
He glanced toward the door with exaggerated casualness, then back to us with a smirk that was all wicked intent. “The second I walk out that door, I’m making the call. After that...” He shrugged with the kind of nonchalance that suggested he was discussing the weather rather than our impending doom. “Well, let’s just say Angelo gets cranky when people make him wait, especially with Keir fueling the fire, and cranky Angelo tends to get creative with his punishments. And honestly? I look far too good to end up as wall decoration in his little torture chamber.”
Five minutes. It felt like a lifetime and an instant all at once. Around us, the shadows seemed to pulse with the same frantic energy that was building in my chest—time slipping away like sand through my fingers, each second bringing us closer to a reckoning none of us were ready for.
I clasped Joy’s hand, feeling the tremor of fear still running through her fingers. “We need to move now.” The words came out sharp, urgent—there was no time for gentle explanations or careful plans.
I didn’t wait for her to answer. In one fluid motion, I swept her up and tossed her over my shoulder, ignoring her startled gasp. Her shadows writhed around us both, responding to hershock and the adrenaline flooding the air. Vampire speed was our only chance now—the supernatural burst of velocity that could put miles between us and this death trap in minutes.
Steve was already moving, his vampiric reflexes kicking in as he yanked open the back door with supernatural efficiency. The cool night air hit us like a slap, carrying the scent of rain and distant exhaust. I led them through the dark back alley and vaulted over the first fence into the neighboring yard. We moved in silence, jumping from yard to yard—over chain link, through garden beds, past sleeping houses—putting as much distance as possible between us and the motel before Dimitri made good on his promise.
The last fence led us into a narrow alleyway, and we disappeared into the night, my feet barely touching the cracked pavement as I pushed my vampiric abilities to their limit. The maze of back alleys stretched before us like veins through the city’s heart. Joy’s weight felt like nothing against my supernatural strength, but I could feel her heart hammering against my back, could smell the sharp tang of her fear mixing with the night air. Behind us, Steve moved with matching inhuman speed, his footsteps silent and precise as he kept perfect pace beside me, scanning the shadows for threats.
Hopefully, Angelo wasn’t already closing in and Dimitri’s five minutes would actually buy us the escape we needed. Because if Angelo caught up to us here, in these narrow streets with nowhere to run, I’d have no choice but to turn and fight. Angelo in his current state wasn’t just dangerous—he was a wild animal, consumed by bloodlust and rage. I had to give Joy and Steve enough time to get away before he ripped me to pieces, before his centuries of violence and supernatural fury reduced me to nothing more than a bloody memory scattered across the concrete.
Chapter Thirteen
Joy
I bounced up and down on Enzo's shoulder like a rag doll, the world whipping past me in a dizzying blur of shadows and streetlights. Every jarring step sent a fresh wave of nausea through my stomach, but the physical discomfort was nothing compared to the crushing guilt pressing down on my chest.
The guilt crashed over me in waves, but beneath it, something else was crystallizing—a plan. I had to leave them. It was the only way to keep them safe.
Serenity lay unconscious because of what I'd done. Angelo would never stop hunting us, and as long as Steve and Enzo were with me, they'd be in danger. Every second they spent protecting me was another second closer to their deaths.
I was the one that hurt Serenity.
Not Steve.
Not Enzo.
Me.
The words echoed in my mind like a death sentence, each repetition driving the knife of guilt deeper into my soul. My bestfriend, my sister in everything but blood, was lying unconscious because I couldn’t control my own powers. Because when it mattered most, when she needed me to be strong, I’d become the very thing everyone feared I was—a weapon without a conscience, a monster wearing the face of someone she trusted.
And suddenly, beneath the crushing weight of guilt, I felt something else rising—hot, vicious, all-consuming rage. Rage at myself for being weak. Rage at my powers for existing. Rage at the unfairness of it all, at being born a freak who destroyed everything she touched. My anger was like a match to my shadows, igniting them into an uncontrollable tsunami.
I felt them exploding outward from me in violent waves, responding to the fury burning through my veins like acid. Enzo stumbled slightly as tendrils of darkness lashed out around us. I realized with horror that I was losing control again—right here, right now, while he was trying to save me.
“Joy!” His voice cut through the chaos, sharp with concern and something that might have been fear. Not fearofme, but fearforme. “You need to breathe. Focus on my voice.”
